Windshield wiper motor



Nav. 18, 1941. H. w. WHITE v' 2,263,151

wINnsHmLD wIPER Mo'roR Filed Jan. 27, 1941 7 s sheets-sheet 1 rwa/wbo/n HAROLD W I/l/HJTE Nov. 11s,` 1941. H.w.wH|T|`-; 1 2,263,151

4 WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR l Filed Jan. 27, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lil-25 3 /4 44 /04 HAROLD WWH/TE Nov. 18, 1941. H. w. WHITE 2,263,151

WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR Filed Jan. 27, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 18, 1941 l WINDSHIELD wrrlm Moron Harold W. White, Saybrook, Conn., assignor to Ike Cohen, Colchester, Conn.

Application January Z7, 1941, Serial No. 376,038

19 Claims.

The present invention relates to uid operated motors and more particularly toa uid operated motor of the type utilized for the operation of windshield wipers.

The object of the present invention is to provide in iiuid operated motors of the above-indicated type an improved valve actuating mecha'- nism for alternately connecting the opposed ends of the motor to the operating medium, which, in the case of a windshield wiper, is sub-.atmospheric pressure. f f

Another object is to provide an improved motor including casing meanswhich cooperate with the actuating means to provide supports therefor and wherein the parts may be readily and quickly assembled or disassembled to permit the partsvto be repaired.

Still another object is the provision of means for assuring that the vwiper will be actuated through a full predetermined stroke before there is any reversal thereof and wherein such means also function to assure a positive snap action of the valve mechanism.

A` still further object is a motor of the above-indicated type utilizing a minimum number of parts and wherein said parts are of extremely rugged construction, thus assuring along life for the motor as well as efcient and positive operation when in service.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed outmore in detail hereinafter.

'Ihe invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of` parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claimsf In the 'accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the assembled motor;

Fig. 2 is a side view with the `casing in section to show the internal construction;

Fig. 3 is an end view taken fon the line 3-3 of i Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view with the casing and valvemechanism partly in section to show the details of construction thereof;

Fig. 5 is a side view with the casing in section and with the motivating iiuid connected to the right-hand side of the motor and just prior to the shifting of the valve to connect the fluid to Fig. 'l is a perspective view of the piston;

Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing all of the parts of the motor, except the piston, which is shown in Fig'. '1,' and Fig. 9 is a modified view of the valve actuating spring means.

Referring to the drawings, the motor comprisesV generally a casing A in which there is mounted an oscillating valve Bfor alternately connecting the opposite ends of the casing to a source of suction to cause a reciprocating motion of a piston C, which motion, through suitable actuating mechanism D, oscillates the valve-B and, through mechanism E, oscillates a wiper carrying shaft F.

More particularly, the casing A comprises piston chamber members I0 and I2 and complementary front and rear center members I4 and IG, which members, when assembled together, form a substantially rectangular casing. More particularly, the piston chambers are of box-like shape closed at one end and open at the other and provided at the open end with a peripheral flange I8 having a screw receiving opening 20 at each corner. III is further provided with an open ended suction passage 24 connecting at its outer end to a nipple 26 for connecting the motor toany suitable source of fluid pressure. There may valso be arranged in conjunction with the nipple 26 any suitable throt- 'tle or shutoff valve for starting or stopping the motor.' In addition, the top wall 22 is provided with a second passage 28 open at the flange I8 and extending therefrom to adjacent the end wall 30 of the chamber I0 where it is connected through an opening 32 with-the interior of the chamber Ill.

The top wall of the piston chamber I2 ris also provided with a single passage 34 open at the flange I8 and extending therefrom to adjacent the end wall 3| of the chamber I2 where it connectsthrough an opening 36 with the interior of the chamber I2.,

To cooperate with the chambers I0 and I2, the front center member I4 is a c section having 'a frontiwall I5 fand partial top and bottom walls I1 and I9; the outery peripheral dimension corresponding to the outer peripheral dimension of the flange I8 of the piston chambers. 'To secure the front section and piston chambers together,

the'topand bottom corners of the center secf tion are/provided with threaded openingsv alignable withthe flange openings v20 to receive screws :'40 to rigidly secure the parts. As best seen in Fig. 8, the partial top wall 42 of the The top wall 22 of the chamber` member I4 terminates in a flat end face.44 functioning as a seat for valve B, as will hereinafter be apparent; The face 44 is further provided with three ports 46, 48, and 58; the central port 46 connecting through a passage 52 to the suction passage 24; the right port 58 connecting through passage 54 to the passage 28 of the piston chamber I8; and the left port 48 connecting through a passage 56 to the passage 34 of the piston chamber I2. It is apparent that when the central port 46 is alternately connected by the valve B to one or the other of the ports 48 or 58, suction is conducted to the corresponding piston chamber and the -piston will move towards the side connected. In addition, the front wall I5 of the C section is further provided with a shaft opening 45 through which the wiper shaft F extends from the interior to the exterior of the motor.

To complete the casing, the rear center section I6 is likewise a C section having a rear wall 2| and partial top and bottom walls 23 and 25, which section cooperates with the front section to form a central rectangular member to complete the casing. The top and bottom corners of the rear section I6 are likewise provided with screw openings 38 aligriable with the flange screw openings 28 for receiving the screws 40 torigidly secure the members together. 'I'he top wall 23 of the member I6 is cut rearwardly from the inner face thereof to provide, when in abutment with the front center member, a transverse guide 68 and spaced stops 62 for guiding and limiting the movement of the valve B. In addition, the inner face of the rear wall member 2| of center member I6 has integrally formed thereon a tubular bearing 66 which functions as a journal for the inner end of the casing shaft F. The outer end of the bearing 66 lies in the same vertical plane as the guide face 6| of the guide 68, and the center of the bore of the journal is in alignment with the center of the shaft opening 45 in the front center member I4.

In considering the actuating mechanism within the casing, reference may be had to Fig. 8, and the parts will be described inlthe order there shown, with reference to other iigures when necessary. As there shown, the shaft may consist of an elongated rod or heavy steel wire 68 of such length that its inner end journals (when the parts are assembled) in the bearing 66, and it extends therefrom through the casing and carries on its outer end a screw tip 18 upon which a wiper carrying arm may be se cured. l

Carried on the shaft 68 is a, motor mounting sleeve 12 provided with a central bore 14 through whichl the shaft 68 extends and having an outer diameter of such size as to permit the sleeve toy extend through the opening 45 in member |4 to a position where a circumferential fiange or anchor 18,' provided adjacent its inner end, abuts against the inner face of the wall of the center member I4. When so positioned, the outer end, which is threaded at 16, will extend beyond the car member to receive a suitable nut for securing the motoronto the car bpdy. f, ,i

Also mounted onf the shaft 68 and integrally secured therewith is a second sleeve 82 having an integral gear segment 88. The forward end of the sleeve 82' is provided with an enlarged bore 84 adapted to telescope over the sleeve 12 Afront and rear members I4 and I6.

tion of the sleeve 82 is provided with a reduced bore 86 for integrally securing same onto the shaft 68. This securing may be accomplished in any suitable way, as, for example, by knurling the shaft 68 at 88 and making a drive fit into the bore 86, thus securing the shaft and segment pair of spaced pins or actuating fingers |88 and I 8| carried by the gear segment 88.

Rearwardly of the gear segment the shaft 68 further supports a valve actuator |82 consisting of an arm |83 provided intermediate of its ends with an, opening |86 for pivotally mounting it onto the shaft 68. The upper end of the arm |83 carries the valve B, which valve comprises a cup-shaped member |84 see Fig. 4) having a peripheral edge |85 adapted to abut against the valve seat 44 andk of such diameter that when the valve is in either of its two positions it will interconnect the suction port to one of the piston chamber ports. As is well known in this type of motor, when one of the ports is connected to the suction port 22 the other port will admit atmospheric air, thus creating an atmospheric pressure on the corresponding end of the piston; suitable provision being made to admit atmospheric air within the casing; this being done in the present instance by providing a slight clearance between the complementary To mount the valve, the rear face is provided with an outwardly extending pivot |81 receivable within an opening |89 provided in the upper end of the actuating arm |62. The lower end of the valve actuator |82 carries spaced fingers |88 and ,I I8 turned inwardly towards the gear segment and between which the spring legs 96 and 98 of the spring 92 are positioned.

Considering the parts to this point, when they are assembled as seen in Figs. 3 and 4 the the actuator. is of the opposed type andpincludes a piston rearwardly of the anchor 1 8, and the rear porn75 gear segment sleeve 82 functions to space the gear segment at a proper distance from the anchor 18 of the sleeve 12, and the collar 98 of the gear segment and the bearing 66 of the rear center member function to properly position the actuator. When the 'actuator is so positioned, the upper end of the arm will be located in the guideway 68 and between the stops 62. When so located, the valve is maintained in close engagement with the valve seat 44, and, as the upper end of the arm always oscillates'within the guideway, the valve will be positively and accurately-maintained on the valve seat.

In order to oscillate the shaft 68 and operate the valve actuator |82, the gear segment 88 is operated by the piston C and the movement of the gear segment in turn functions to operate To accomplish this, the piston C member |I2 receivable ,within the chamber I2 and a piston member I I4 receivable within the chamber I8. As indicated, each piston member may comprise a pair of spaced plates |I6 between which there is mounted a `cup leather ||8 having a fluid-tight fit with the wallsv of the piston chambers. 'I'he plates ||6 and cup leather II8 are secured together by a rivet |28,

which rivet also extends through and isgsecured to the vertical leg |22 lof a horizontal rack |24.

The rack |24 extends beneath the gear segment '80 and is provided with teeth |26 meshing with the teeth |28 of the gear segment, whereby as the piston is reciprocated the gear segment will be oscillated.

ReviewingA the operation to this point; when the parts are in the position shown in "gs, 1 and 2, the chamber I will be connected to suction,'whereupon the piston will move to the right and cause a counterclockwise oscillation of the gear segment 00. When the gear segment oscillates to the point where the left pin |00 engages the leg 96 of the U spring 92, it will tend to pivot the spring on collar 90, but such pivoting will be prevented by leg 98 engaging the actuator finger ||0, resulting in the spring being placed under tension. This tension will tend `to pivot the actuator in a counterclockwise direction to shift the valve |04 to uncover the right port 50 and connect the center portJ 46 with the left port 48. AAs the piston continues t6 move to the right,1 the pin |00 will continuato increase the tension until the tension overcomes the holding force of the vacuum on the valve |04, where-"` vupon the valve will move to the opposite position. Upon a reverse movement of the piston, the same action will occur, except that the spring is now tensioned by the pin |0| engaging the I leg 99 of the spring-92 to actuate the'valve in the opposite direction. In order to assure a full stroke of the wiper,

means are provided for preventing throw of the "valve until the piston has moved through its full predetermined str'oke. To accomplish this. there is further provided cooperating means whereby the position indicated in Fig. `6. When this occurs, therestraining member |30 will then be positioned beneath the holding member |32.

Quite obviously, on the return movement, should the valve tend to pivot, the restraining .member will engage the under face of the holding me'mber |32 -and hold the valve against m'vement until the stroke of the piston is completed. l.

In this manner, shifting of the valve cannot occur" making of the motor by properly correlating the I stroke of the piston Vancl the angle defined by the f lngers 0 of the actuating fmemben For example, if the fingers ||0 are spread apart and the holding member |32 is shortened, the spring will be tensioned upon a shorter movement of the gear segment and the valve released and snapped as soon as the restraining memberjl is released from the shorter holding member. This same purpose can be accomplished by chang-ing the spacing ofthe pins |00'on the gear segment sithe valve will not shift until the piston has completed itsstroke to one'side of the cylinder. These means comprise a restraining member |30 carried bythe valve actuator |02 an'd a holding member |32 carried by and integral with the piston. More particularly, the restraining member |30 comprises a nger bent rearwardly from the valve actuating arm |02; this finger being located above the bfurcated portion and beneath the pivot opening |06. 'I'he cooperating holding mem er |32 extends horizontally and is so located relative to member 30 that as the'piston moves to the right the member |30 is above the plane of the member 32, whereas when the piston moves to the left and thev actuator has shifted to the left, it is below the member |32. Again referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that when the chamber |0 is connected to suction,

the restraining member |30 lies a shade above the holding member |32, and it' will remain in this position until the pin |00 places the .spring 92 under tension. When the tension on the spring 92 becomes sufliciently great to overcome the.

vacuum lock and cause shifting .of the` valve, should the piston not have reached the end of its stroke, the restraining member |30 will initially be pivoted into tension engagement with the member ,|32 and thus prevent the shifting of the valve.

As the` piston continues its movement to the right (see Fig. 5), the spring 92 will placed under increased tension,`a1rd, finally, when the piston has completed its movement to the right, the holding member |32 (which is pivoting in a path intersecting the path .of movement of the member |30) will have moved out of the path of the restraining member and the springl 92 will immediately cause theshifting of the valve to multaneously with the shortening of the hlding member.

f Although the assembly of the motor is appar'- ent from the foregoing description, it will also be 'seen-that in case of repairs to the valve mecha- 'nism;it is onlynecessary to remove the front centerj member |-4, whereupon the entire valve mechanism Iand oscillating shaft 68 may be removed from the wiper. Likewise, due to the`-con struction of the motor in the manner described, the only gasketing required-is between the opposed side faces of the top lwall ofthe center member 4 and the anges of the piston chambers at the points where the suction passages interconnect with one another.

Referring to Fig. 9, there isshown a modified valve actuator spring which may comprise a strip of Yheavy leaf spring material rolled at one end to provide a loopv |40 forl pivoting same on the collar and a single depending, leg |42 which would be positioned between closely spaced fingers |08, ||0. With this construction, upon pin |00 l lengaging leg |42 .the spring will initially pivot on collar 90 until leg |42 engages inger ||0 whereupon tension will be exerted and the, valve operated as heretofore` described. c

Y As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely differT ent embodiments of this invention c uld be made without departing-from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or\shown in the accompanying draw- L ings shall be interpreted as illustrative andk not in a limiting sense.-

It isalso to be understood that the language'v .used in the following claims is intended to cover all of lthe generic an'd specific features of the inverition herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.'

I claim as my invention: f f 1. In a,motor of the character described, a

valve seat having a center \port and spaced side ports, a valve. movable between two set positions for connecting the center port with one of said side ports, a pivoted actuator carrying said valve, means for operating said actuator to alternately shift' the valve from one set position to the other set position, piston means for operating said lastnamed means, and cooperating means on the valve actuator and the piston means for holding the valve in its last set position until-completion of a stroke of the piston.

2. In a motor of the character described, a valve s'eat having a center port and spaced vside ports, ay pivoted valve actuator, a valve carried by the actuator, means for pivoting the actuator between two set positions whereby the valve will alternately connect the center port with one of the side ports, piston means for operating said valve actuator means, and cooperating means on the valve actuator and the piston means for holding the valve in its last set position until completion of a stroke of the piston.y

3. In a motor of the characterl described, a valve seat having'a center port and spaced side poi-ts, a valve movable between two set positions `for alternately connecting the center port with one of the side ports, an actuator for the valve, piston means for actuating said valve actuator, and cooperating means carried by said valve actuator and said piston means and operating in intersecting planes for holding tire valve in its last set position until completion of a stroke of the piston.

4. In a motor`of the character described, a valve seat having a center port and spaced side ports, a pivoted valve movable between two'r set positions for connecting the center port with one of said side `l ports, reciprocating piston means,

means operated by the piston means for pivoting` said valve between two set positions, a restraining member pivoted with said valve, a holding member reciprocated with said piston into the path of said restraining member during movement of the piston and out of the path of the restraining member at the completion of a piston stroke, whereby said valve will be held in its last set position until a,` completion of a'stroke of the piston.

5. In a motor of the character` described, a valve seat having a center port and spaced side ports, a valve movable between two positions for alternately connecting the. center port with one of the side ports, avalve restraining member, a

piston, means operable by the piston for actuating the valve and valve restraining member, and

`eans carried by the piston and engageable with the valve restraining member for holding the valve in Vits last set position until completion of a stroke of the piston.

6. In a motor of the character described, a

valve seat having a center port and spaced side ports, 'an operating shaft located beneath the valve seat, a valve actuator pivoted on the valve valve actuator, and means for preventing pivotal movement of the actuator upon tensioning of the spring until completion of a stroke of the piston.

7. In a motor of the character described, a valve seat having a center port and spaced side ports, an operating shaft located beneath said valve seat, a valve actuator pivoted on said shaft and extending above and below same, a valve carried on the upper end of said actuator and movable between two set positions for alternately connecting the center port with one of the side ports,y spring means for moving said actuator to move the valve, said spring means being pivotally mounted on the operating shaft and having a pair of spaced depending legs, a pair of spaced fingers on the lower end of said actuator, each engaged by one of said legs, a piston, means 'operated by the piston for tensioning said spring by biasing one leg toward the other to pivot said actuator, restraining means carried by the piston, and means on the valve actuator engageable with the restraining means for holding the actuator against pivoting upon tensioning of the spring until completion of a stroke of the piston.

8. In a motor of the character described, a valve seat having a center port and spaced side ports, a valve movable between two set positions for alternately connecting the center port with one of the side ports, piston means for actuating said valve, a restraining member movable with the valve, a holding member movable with said piston and movable initially into the path of operation of said restraining member and then out of the path thereof at the completion of a piston stroke, whereby-the valve will be held in its last set position when said member is in the path of operation of the valve.

9. In a motorV of the character described, a valve seat having a center port and spaced side ports, a pivoted valve actuator, a valve carried by said actuator above the pivot thereof for alternately connecting the center port with one of said side ports upon pivoting of the actuator, a pair of spaced fingers provided on the valve actuator beneath the pivot thereof, a spring pivotally mounted concentrically with the actuator and including a depending leg positioned'between the spaced fingers of the actuator, and means for pivoting said spring until the leg engages one of said ngers to ltension the spring and pivot the actuator.

10..-In a motor of the character described, a k

valve seat having a center port and spaced side ports, a pivoted valve actuator, a valve carried by said actuator above the pivot thereof for alternately connecting the center port with one of said side ports upon pivoting of the actuator, a pair of spaced fingers provided on the valve actuator beneath the pivot thereof, and a spring pivotally mounted concentrically with the actuator and including a pan' of spaced legs depending therefrom and positioned between the fingers on the valve actuator, and means ffor tensioning one of said spring legs towards the other to place the spring under tension and pivot said actuator.

l1.- In a motor of the character described, a valve seat having a center port and spaced side ports, an operating shaft located beneath said valve seat, a valve actuator pivoted on said shaft, a valve carried by said actuator above the pivot, a pair of spaced fingers carried by said actuator, beneath the pivot, a spring mounted' i ral with the operating shaft, a pair of stops carried by said gear segment and alternately engageable with said spring member at a point beneath the actuator fingers, whereby said spring will be tensioned against the finger to operate the valve, a reciprocating piston, and a rack carried by said piston and engageable with the gear segment for oscillating the gear'segment to operate said shaft. v

12. In a motor of the character described, a valve seat having a center port [and spaced side ports, an operating shaft located beneath said valve seat, a valve actuator pivotally mounted on the shaft, a valve carried by the actuator above the pivot, a pair of spaced fingers carried by the actuator below the pivot, an actuating spring, said spring comprising a coil section pivotally mounted on the shaft and having a leg depending to each side of the shaft and positioned between said actuator fingers, a gear segment integral with the operating shaft, spaced stops on said gear segment, and piston means for operating said gear segment, whereby said stops will be alternately brought into engagement with one of said spring legs to tension the spring and pivot the valve actuator.

13. In a motor of the character described, an operating shaft, a casing including front and rear complementary center members, said rear center member having a tubular bearing for journalling the inner end of said operating shaft y and said front center member having an open-r` proper alignment within the casing.

14. In a motor of the character described, a casing including front and rear complementary center members, a tubular bearing on the inner face of said rear member, an openingV through said front member in alignment with said bearing, a sleeve extending through said opening and having an anchor on its inner end abutting against tire inner face of the center member for limiting the outward movement of the sleeve, an operating shaft journalied at its inner end in said bearing and extending through said sleeve, an actuator pivotally mounted on the shaft adjacent the bearing, a second sleeve secured to said shaft and extending from the inner end of said first sleeve to the actuator' for maintaining said parts in spaced position, and a gear segment integral with said sleeve, lsaid front center member being readily, removable from the casing.

15. In a motor of the character described. a casing including front and rear complementary center members, an operating shaft pivotally mounted -in said members, valve mechanism vide a valve seat, the upper'end of said actuator and valve being positioned between said spaced walls for guiding same in its pivoting movement and maintaining said Valve on the valveseat, and means Within the casing for actuating said valve.

17. In a motor of the character described, a casing comprising a pair of piston chambers and complementary front and rear center members,

each of said center members including an end` wall and top and bottom partial walls, the inner face of the top partial wall of the front center member being arranged in a vertical plane and provided with spaced ports to dene a valve seat, the inner face of the top partial Wall of the rear center member being recessed'to provide a ver--V tical Wall spaced from'the valve seat and deiining therewith a valve guide, an operating shaft Journalled in said casing beneath said valve seat, a valve actuator pivotaily mounted on said shaft and extending above same and into said valve guide, and a valve carried on the upper end of said actuator and movable on said valve seat upon pivotal movement of the actuator, said front and rear members being readily removable from the casing for dismounting said operating shaft and said valve.

18. In a motor of the character described, a casing having removable front and rear members, a `iournal provided on the inner face of said rear center member, an operatingv shaft having its inner end mounted in said journal and extending through an opening provided in the front member of said casing, anda valve actuator, a valve actuating spring, gear segment, and motor mounting sleeve mounted on said shaft in the order named and having no fixed engagement with the casing, 'whereby upon removal of t said front center member said above-named parts may all bereadily removed from the casing.

19. In a motor of the character described, a valve seat having a center port and spaced side ports, a pivoted valve actuator, a valve carried by thel actuator above the lpivot thereof for alternately connecting the center port with one of the side ports upon pivoting of the actuator, a pair of spaced fingers provided on the valve actuator beneath the pivot thereof, a spring pivoted above said fingers and including a depending leg positioned between the spaced flngers of the actuator, and means for pivoting said spring until the leg engages one of said valve actuator fingers to tension the `spring and pivot the actuator.

HAROLD W. WHITE. 

